The further within the country, Easwaran Abhimanyu and Jurel Dhruv appeared as if they were merely a breath away from getting to their respective landmarks. Abhimanyu was looking for a double century while Jurel was looking to get his century. But a couple of daring sweep shots turned the table on them and soon afterward they would start the rot in RoI’s innings and lose six wickets in 23 runs in just 10 overs to get all out at 416, taking a mammoth lead of 121 runs over Mumbai in their first innings.
Prithvi’s 76 on Day 4 made a commanding lead of 274 runs for Mumbai at 153 for 6 wickets, which extended after a break with the shoot out yesterday on a track that had began wearing and spinned with sharp angles against the lower order of the side, in the Irani cup in Ekona stadium this Friday.
Easwaran and Jurel were fair in their chase of the total of 537 posted by the Mumbai side at a reasonable run rate from where they had left on the previous day’s play. The partnership of the fifth wicket had extended too 165 and was rapidly disturbing the balance of the other end of the challenge.
But without keeping such comments in mind, with as little as 5.3 overs remaining for the lunch break, Mumbai decided to give the new left-arm spinner Shams Mulani (3/122) a chance but this time coming over the wicket starting from the pavilion end. Following over, offie Tanush Kotian (3/101) didn’t give any runaway, giving away just one run. The RoI batters however fell for the bait and in trying to rattle the unknown spinning pair, chose to attack Mulani’s end. First ball of the next Mulani Over, Jurel went down on one knee to sweep but got no contact and the ball slithered off gloves into the keepers’ hardik tamer’s gloves. Jurel made 93 runs in 121 deliveries hitting 13 fours and 1 six. Then after 12 balls Easwaran also attempted the sweep against Mulani and managed only to lob one straight to Kotian who made a diving catch from short fine-leg. This Bengal opener scored an unbeaten 191 in 292 balls comprising 16 fours and a six.
The moment Mumbai got a whiff of fresh blood, it was the end for India who were skittled out for 75 in just 6 overs after the lunch break with three wickets falling within the span of the 110th Kotian over. He was involved in Yash Dayal’s run out, got Prasidh Krishna caught at short leg and also took Mukesh Kumar’s catch to wrap up RoI’s innings. While Mulani and Kotian gave early breakthroughs for Mumbai to take first innings lead, it was Shaw’s brilliant innings of 105-balls with eight boundaries and one huge towering hit added importance to the advantage already held by the Ranji champions.
As soon as the Mumbai teams realized that the spinners were to be introduced it was decided that it was best to hardly trouble the score and 50 was up on the board in just 6.2 overs. But then Saransh Jain (4/67) and Manav Suthar (2/40) interchanged in a position to make a lunatic attack on the top order. In the first three days only 14 wickets fell but on Friday, in a pattern that exemplified the whole match most of the attached blows dashed the charade of batting to the spinners 12 scalps.
Shaw made sure to maintain the lead he had over the rest of the team even as he finished on the ruins. He may have slipped in the regular pecking order for a role as India opener but a good season could well change such a situation. Shaw’s innings was termed as a “crucial knock” by left arm spinner Mulani as he aims to lead Mumbai to their first Irani Cup in the last 20 years. Sarfaraz Khan (9 not out) and Kotian (20 not out) had a tense half an hour’s batting towards the end of the day’s play in order to ease the tension in the Mumbai dressing room.
BRIEF SCORES:
Mumbai: 537 and 153 for 6 (P Shaw 76, T Kotian 20 not out; S Jain 4-67, M Suthar 2-40) currently lead the Rest of India: 416 (A Easwaran 191, D Jurel 93; T Kotian 3-101, S Mulani 3-122) by 274 runs with the overnight score being 137 and easily in a dominant position.
Irani Cup: Prithvi Shaw, Shams Mulani boost Mumbai’s chances on wearing track against Rest of India | Parami News
